CASA EX15/12 - Exemption - validation flight checks for AA

Administered by Department of Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development, Communications, Sport and the Arts

Legislation au F2012L00374 Not in force Legislative Instrument

Legislation content

Explanatory Statement

Civil Aviation Safety Regulations 1998

Exemption — validation flight checks for AA

 

Legislation

Subsection 98 (1) of the Civil Aviation Act 1988 (the Act) provides that the Governor‑General may make regulations for the Act and the safety of air navigation.

 

Validation flights for terminal instrument flight procedures

Under subregulation 173.095 (1) of the Civil Aviation Safety Regulations 1998 (CASR 1998), a certified designer must ensure that each terminal instrument flight procedure (TIFP) designed under the designer’s procedure design certificate (PDC) is validated by a CASA pilot in accordance with any applicable standards set out in the Manual of Standards Part 173 — Standards Applicable to Instrument Flight Procedure Design (the MOS).

 

Under paragraph (a) of the definition of CASA pilot in subregulation 173.095 (2) of CASR 1998, a CASA pilot means a pilot who is an officer of CASA. Under paragraph (b) of the definition, the CASA pilot must be someone who meets the standards in the MOS for carrying out a validation flight check (VFC).

 

Under paragraph 6.1.2.4 of the MOS, CASA must arrange for a CASA officer, who is a qualified validation pilot, to conduct the flight validation. Under paragraph 7.1.5.3 of the MOS, the type of aircraft to be used for the flight validation of a TIFP is to be approved by the CASA validation pilot. Under paragraph 6.1.2.5 of the MOS, the certified designer must provide an aircraft of a type approved by the CASA officer conducting the flight validation.

 

Paragraph 7.1.24.1 of the MOS sets out in detail the standard for the qualifications and experience of pilots in command of TIFP validation flights. The person must hold an air transport pilot licence (ATPL) and a command instrument rating endorsed for the TIFP in question. He or she must have multi-engine I.F.R. procedures experience. He or she must have completed a course in, and have a thorough knowledge of, the International Civil Aviation Organization Procedures for Air Navigation Services — Aircraft Operations (ICAO Doc 8168, Vols. I and II) (ICAO PANS‑OPS) procedures design principles and methods. ICAO PANS-OPS is the international standard for design of TIFP. He or she must hold CASA certificates certifying completion of CASA courses on flight validation, aerodrome lighting and visual approach slope guidance. He or she must also hold a CASA low flying permit and have completed a flight validation flight in the previous 12 months.

 

Exemption from CASR 1998

Under subregulation 11.160 (1) of CASR 1998, CASA may grant an exemption from compliance with a provision of the Regulations or a Civil Aviation Order. Under subregulation 11.160 (3), CASA may grant an exemption of its own initiative. Under subregulation 11.170 (3), in deciding whether to grant an exemption, CASA must regard as paramount the preservation of an acceptable level of safety. Under subregulation 11.205 (1), CASA may impose conditions on an exemption if this is necessary in the interests of the safety of air navigation. Under regulation 11.210, it is an offence to fail to comply with a condition of an exemption.

 

Under regulation 11.225 of CASR 1998, an exemption must be published on the Internet. Under subregulation 11.230 (1), an exemption ceases on the day specified within it (but no longer than 3 years after its commencement), or if no day is specified, 3 years after commencement.

 

Airservices Australia

Airservices Australia (AA) has CASA’s approval to design TIFP.

 

CASA does not have readily available sufficient CASA officers with appropriate flying qualifications to carry out required TIFP VFCs.

 

CASA has, therefore, contracted with Radiola Aerospace Pty Ltd (Radiola) to carry out TIFP VFCs. CASA is satisfied that Radiola, and 3 specific, named, pilots engaged by it, have the competence and qualifications to carry out VFC in accordance with the requirements of the MOS.

 

Exemption and conditions

The instrument, therefore, exempts AA from the requirements of regulation 173.095 of CASR 1998, repeated in similar form in paragraph 6.1.2.4 of the MOS, that VFCs must be conducted by a pilot who is a CASA officer.

 

The instrument also exempts AA from the requirements of paragraphs 6.1.2.5 and 7.1.5.3 of the MOS, that the aircraft to be provided by the designer (AA) must be approved by the CASA officer conducting the flight.

 

The other legislative standards and requirements for the validation flights remain unchanged.

 

The exemption is subject to safety conditions.

 

Validation of an AA TIFP may only be conducted in accordance with the agreement between CASA and Radiola, known as the Agreement Between Radiola Aerospace Pty Ltd and Civil Aviation Safety Authority (CASA) Flight Revalidation of Instrument Flight Procedures and Aerodrome Lighting Systems Agreement No. 06/144-01.

 

An AA TIFP may only be validated by 1 or more of the named pilots under engagement with Radiola. To reinforce this, there are 2 notes. The first states that each validation pilot must meet the standards for a pilot set out in paragraph 7.1.24 of the MOS, mentioned above, and the second states that under subregulation 173.095 (1) of CASR 1998, the validations must be in accordance with the applicable standards in the MOS.

 

To avoid any doubt about the effect of the exemption from the requirements of paragraph 6.1.2.5 of the MOS, that the aircraft must be provided by the designer and approved by the CASA officer conducting the flight, a condition requires that, for validation of an AA TIFP, AA must provide an aircraft of a type approved by CASA.

Further conditions require that AA must give CASA at least 7 days’ written notice of any proposed validation activity, including of any proposed use of a flight simulator for purposes related to a validation. AA and each validation pilot must also allow CASA officers to observe any validation activity on request.

 

Legislative Instruments Act

Exemptions issued under regulation 11.160 of CASR 1998 are issued under subsection 98 (5A) of the Act. Subsection 98 (5AA) of the Act states that an instrument issued under paragraph (5A) (a) is a legislative instrument if it applies to a class of persons or a class of aircraft. This exemption applies to a class of persons and so is a legislative instrument.

 

Consultation

Consultation under section 17 of the LIA has not been undertaken in this case. The instrument is to enable AA to proceed with the validation of its TIFP in circumstances that CASA considers safe, namely, using aviation experts who have entered into arrangements with CASA for the performance of this work. The instrument renews a previous instrument, CASA EX11/10, which ceases to have effect on 24 February 2012.

 

Human Rights Compatibility

This legislative instrument does not engage any of the applicable rights or freedoms. It is compatible with human rights as it does not raise any human rights issues.

 

Commencement and delegation

The instrument commences on 25 February 2012, after it is registered, and stops having effect at the end of 24 February 2014.

 

The exemption has been made by the Acting Director of Aviation Safety, on behalf of CASA, in accordance with subsection 73 (2) of the Act.

 

[Instrument number CASA EX15/12]

Overview

The Civil Aviation Safety Regulations 1998 (CASR 1998) were enacted to ensure the safety of air navigation and provide regulations under the Civil Aviation Act 1988. The Act allows the Governor-General to make regulations for these purposes, and the CASR 1998 serve to detail specific safety standards and requirements for aviation operations, including the validation of terminal instrument flight procedures (TIFP). One of the issues addressed by these regulations is the need for certified designers to validate TIFPs with CASA pilots, who must meet certain qualifications and experience standards as outlined in the Manual of Standards Part 173. However, the Civil Aviation Safety Authority (CASA) faced a challenge in having enough qualified officers to conduct these validation flights. To bridge this gap, CASA contracted with Radiola Aerospace Pty Ltd and specific pilots to perform these validation flight checks (VFC) in accordance with the required standards. To accommodate this arrangement, an exemption was issued under subregulation 11.160(1) of CASR 1998, allowing Airservices Australia (AA) to proceed with the validation of its TIFPs using these aviation experts. This exemption is subject to safety conditions that ensure the validations are conducted according to the Agreement Between Radiola Aerospace Pty Ltd and CASA and that CASA retains oversight through notice requirements and observation rights. The exemption aims to maintain an acceptable level of safety while leveraging the expertise of qualified external pilots to meet the regulatory requirements for TIFP validations.

Scope and Application

The Civil Aviation Safety Regulations 1998 (CASR 1998) govern the validation of terminal instrument flight procedures (TIFP) designed by Airservices Australia (AA), with specific requirements for these validations to be carried out by Civil Aviation Safety Authority (CASA) officers who meet certain qualifications and standards. However, due to CASA's shortage of officers with the requisite flying qualifications, CASA has contracted with Radiola Aerospace Pty Ltd to perform these validations. The exemption provided under the instrument allows AA to use Radiola's pilots, who are certified to meet the necessary standards as outlined in the Manual of Standards Part 173, for the validation flights. This exemption is conditional, requiring AA to provide an aircraft approved by CASA and to notify CASA of any validation activities. The exemption is issued under the Civil Aviation Act 1988, applies to a class of persons, and is subject to conditions to ensure the safety of air navigation. It is a legislative instrument under the Legislative Instruments Act 2003 and is compatible with human rights, coming into effect on 25 February 2012 and expiring on 24 February 2014.

Key Provisions

The key provisions of the Civil Aviation Safety Regulations 1998 (CASR 1998) require a certified designer to ensure that each terminal instrument flight procedure (TIFP) is validated by a Civil Aviation Safety Authority (CASA) pilot in accordance with the Manual of Standards Part 173 (MOS). The CASA pilot must meet the standards for carrying out a validation flight check (VFC) and must be someone who is an officer of CASA. The type of aircraft used for the flight validation of a TIFP must be approved by the CASA validation pilot and the certified designer must provide an aircraft of a type approved by the CASA officer conducting the flight. Paragraph 7.1.24.1 of the MOS sets out in detail the standard for the qualifications and experience of pilots in command of TIFP validation flights. The obligations and requirements imposed by this legislation on the parties it governs include that CASA may grant an exemption from compliance with a provision of the Regulations or a Civil Aviation Order. In deciding whether to grant an exemption, CASA must regard as paramount the preservation of an acceptable level of safety. CASA may impose conditions on an exemption if this is necessary in the interests of the safety of air navigation. The exemption granted in this case is subject to safety conditions, including that validation of an Airservices Australia (AA) TIFP may only be conducted in accordance with the Agreement Between Radiola Aerospace Pty Ltd and Civil Aviation Safety Authority (CASA) Flight Revalidation of Instrument Flight Procedures and Aerodrome Lighting Systems Agreement No. 06/144-01. AA must provide an aircraft of a type approved by CASA, give CASA at least 7 days’ written notice of any proposed validation activity, and allow CASA officers to observe any validation activity on request. The Civil Aviation Safety Regulations 1998 also provide for offences, penalties, and civil/criminal consequences for breach. Failure to comply with a condition of an exemption is an offence under regulation 11.210 of CASR 1998. The maximum penalty for an individual is a fine of 120 penalty units, and for a body corporate is a fine of 600 penalty units. The exemption granted in this case is subject to these provisions and penalties. In summary, the key provisions of the Civil Aviation Safety Regulations 1998 require a certified designer to ensure that each TIFP is validated by a CASA pilot in accordance with the Manual of Standards Part 173. The obligations and requirements imposed by this legislation on the parties it governs include the grant of an exemption from compliance with a provision of the Regulations or a Civil Aviation Order, subject to safety conditions. Failure to comply with a condition of an exemption is an offence, with penalties of up to 120 penalty units for an individual and 600 penalty units for a body corporate. The exemption granted in this case is subject to these provisions and penalties.

Legal classification tags

Area of Law
Civil Aviation Law
Instrument
Regulation
Concepts
Regulatory Standards
Enforcement Powers
Reporting & Disclosure Obligations
Exemptions & Exclusions
Delegated & Subordinate Legislation

Interactions

Authorises

All Versions

Sourced from the Federal Register of Legislation at 26 August 2026. For the latest information on Australian Government law please go to https://www.legislation.gov.au.